Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Garden Frittata Recipe - a Versatile Urban Inn Favorite

GARDEN FRITTATA

A frittata is versatile and willingly accepts whatever you throw into it. It is a wonderful venue for all kinds of vegetables, meats and cheeses and can be beautifully crafted and well thought out or equally as delicious with whatever randomly comes out of the fridge. A friend of mine from college once told me her husband made her breakfast in bed. I said how nice what did he serve? When she replied a tuna and olive omelet I thought “good God what was he thinking”. Now, I admire his ingenuity.

So, here is a basic recipe for a Garden Frittata. Go crazy-- improvise!

Instructions:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, heavy and Sriracha sauce and whisk. Set aside. Bring a large sauté pan to medium heat. Begin adding vegetables until they reached the desired tenderness. Add basil, salt and pepper and stir. Pour egg mixture over the sautéed vegetables and top with feta cheese. Once the edges start to bubble (approximately 5 minutes) place the pan in the oven to finish. Cook until firm (approximately 10 minutes). Cut the frittata into four even wedges and serve.

Frittata tips:
Some vegetables may need to cook longer than others. I generally add items with the firmer texture, such as onions, red peppers and zucchini first, followed by items that take less cooking time like tomatoes mushrooms or spinach.

Be sure meat is cooked. Use the same pan in which you will eventually cook the frittata. Once the meat is browned thoroughly remove from the pan, drain off excess fat and start sautéing vegetables. The moisture from the vegetables will help de-glaze the pan adding extra flavor. Add the meat back into the recipe before pouring egg on top.